The Chicago Cubs have needed consistent innings most of the season. The team has lost Cade Horton , Matthew Boyd , Jameson Taillon , Edward Cabrera and more for huge chunks of the season.
Help could soon be on the way.
Jim Bowden of The Athletic revealed five mock trades on Monday that he'd like to see happen.
One of the mock trades has the Cubs acquiring a two-time All-Star pitcher.
Bowden has the Cubs trading for Kansas City Royals starter Michael Wacha in exchange for utility man Matt Shaw and outfielder Kevin Alcántara . This would change the tide of the NL Central race.
Few pitchers in the game have been as impactful as Wacha this year. While the stats and Kansas City 's record may not necessarily show it, Wacha has been one of the best pitchers in the American League.
This year, he has pitched to a 3.77 ERA en route to the All-Star Game. His 119.1 innings were the most by an AL pitcher at the break. This means he is averaging over six innings per start.
Wacha is controllable through 2027, with a team option for 2028.
"He has posted sub-4.00 ERAs each of the past five years (including this one) and still has a special changeup and unique downward plane to his pitches," Bowden wrote.
With so few starting pitchers on the trade market this year, in large part due to how close the American League is, the Cubs may have to overpay to get an impact starter.
While Shaw and Alcántara may be too much for a 35-year-old starter, it would be worth it because of how thin the Cubs' pitching is.
While Shaw and Alcántara have struggled to find consistent playing time, the Cubs value both highly.
Shaw is a former first-round pick in the 2023 MLB Draft. While he had an encouraging rookie season in 2025, finishing ninth in NL ROY voting, he has struggled to stay healthy this year.
In 2026, he has played just 56 games, slashing .246/.322/.415 with four home runs and solid defense.
However, even as a utility man, he is blocked from everyday play by a great Cubs lineup.
The same goes for Alcántara, who has put together 39 at-bats in 31 games across three seasons for Chicago.
Alcántara has pop and can play all three outfield positions. However, he is blocked by All-Star Pete Crow-Armstrong , slugger Seiya Suzuki and defensive stalwart Ian Happ .
While Happ is a free agent after this season, Alcántara may not be on the team by then.
With the Cubs' injuries to the rotation and bullpen, the team has to make a move soon.
While just six games separate the Cubs from the division-leading Milwaukee Brewers , that deficit can be stretched out or made up in the coming weeks.
With the Trade Deadline nearing and several of their pitchers still on the shelf, Chicago might get desperate soon for pitching.
While Shaw and Alcántara are a high price to pay, it would vault the club back into contention if they acquire Wacha.
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